Can we save the environment by increasing oil capacity?

They do this on HD Diesels, but they also have giant full flow filters and bypass filters, modern GDI engines put too much fine soot and fuel into the oil that a smaller sump and more frequent changes is better.
 
I think we've seen this trend in a lot of newer cars already, just not every car. I was surprised at newer (Coyote, iirc?) Mustangs having a 10qt sump. Even my mom's Five Hundred with a 3L V6 has a 6qt sump, but her old Taurus with a 3L V6 only had a 5 quart sump. I can't name more models off the top of my head that have bigger sumps but when I was young we more or less assumed every car had a 5qt or less sump and now going up to 10+ is more common than I remembered as a teenager in the early 2000s.

For a comparison, an old Ford 460 big block truck motor generally only has a 6 or 7 quart sump, but a 2019 F350 has a 13qt oil capacity with a smaller engine, so twice as much oil, and a longer OCI for sure.
 
For a comparison, an old Ford 460 big block truck motor generally only has a 6 or 7 quart sump, but a 2019 F350 has a 13qt oil capacity with a smaller engine, so twice as much oil, and a longer OCI for sure.
The 6.2L has a 7qt sump, only 6.7 PSD has a 13qt sump, the IDI back in the 80s held like 10qts, and the 7.3 PSD that superseded the IDI held 15qts, but that probably has more to do with it being a new turbo diesel design, diesel's always have had a larger sump, you'd really need to compare gas engines to other gas engines. The new 7.3 Godzilla engine holds 7qts.
 
Tell Toyota and Subaru to quit burning it.
Toyota can do a whole world of good by killing the Prius and Mirai, then selling off their fuel cell assets to New Flyer and Ballard.

But seriously, if the OEMs want to extend OCIs, a larger sump + better filters are the way to go. Mercedes, BMW and Audi have been doing that for decades.
 
Big money and politics, coupled with the media projection of these small incremental changes, keep real progress from realization.
"Real progress" has been made and the environment has been very much cleaned up. Unless you're old enough to have experienced what things were like 50-60 years ago or more you really have no idea what real pollution is like. We're well into putting in huge effort for diminishing returns at this point.
 
"Real progress" has been made and the environment has been very much cleaned up. Unless you're old enough to have experienced what things were like 50-60 years ago or more you really have no idea what real pollution is like. We're well into putting in huge effort for diminishing returns at this point.

USA was almost as bad as mainland China is now back then. :(

My father, in an oil related story, told me people in his neighborhood would just park their cars on the curb over a sewer grate and drain their oil directly into the sewer in the 60s and 70s when he was a kid.

Also this:
clcfr7xw08y31.jpg
 
If all the Climate Change leaders stopped using their private jets everywhere they go, then that would help the environment tremendously. Don't have the exact number, as many sources contradict each other, but there was definitely a few hundred private jets that all flew in for the Global Climate Change talk. Oh the irony.

View attachment 79836

P.S. Even if every single BITOG member doubles or triples their OCI - the environmental benefits from such action will be destroyed by just 1 private jet. Regardless of whether we're talking of a single OCI VS. single flight, or course of lifetime of equipment. Now think about hundreds of private jets. Let that sink in.
Politician... good at talking
 
If all the Climate Change leaders stopped using their private jets everywhere they go, then that would help the environment tremendously. Don't have the exact number, as many sources contradict each other, but there was definitely a few hundred private jets that all flew in for the Global Climate Change talk. Oh the irony.

View attachment 79836

P.S. Even if every single BITOG member doubles or triples their OCI - the environmental benefits from such action will be destroyed by just 1 private jet. Regardless of whether we're talking of a single OCI VS. single flight, or course of lifetime of equipment. Now think about hundreds of private jets. Let that sink in.
So let's watch thé others doing what they can, i'll do nothing. Smart!
 
ford already does this in their larger displacement engines. the 6.7 takes 13 quarts. the 5.0 takes 9 quarts and the 7.3 takes 8 quarts. these sump capacities allow for longer intervals. toyota also does it. wives rx350 takes 6 quarts and it only a 3.5 litre.
My Ford 3.5L also takes 6 quarts. However I only do 5000 mi changes. My UOA suggest that I stick with that.
 
How many quarts of oil does an old V8 from the 70's hold?

Many new VW's with a 2.0 turbo hold 6 quarts. A 455-7.5L Buick V8 from the 70's holds 5 quarts including filter.
A new 2021 Corolla with a 2.0L holds 4.9 quarts while the 1.8L Corolla hybrid and the non hybrid 1.8L holds 4.4 quarts.
Do you means Oldsmobile 455? Most Olds fords say 4 quarts, add 1 quart with filter change, so 5 quarts. The trucks at least in the 80s always had 6 quart sumps. Most gm cars I came across use 5 quarts as well as my chryslers 2.2L, 3.3L, 318ci, 360ci, 400ci all use 5 quarts.
 
I've noticed that as car motors shrink, so does the oil capacity.

So why can't you just double oil capacity to double or triple oil change intervals? Engines seem to have such small sumps that the oil is cycling continuously shearing it down faster.

Now stick a 6 quart sump on the 1.6 liter engine, you could get 14k+ OCI's since you got double the oil capacity, and a high mileage oil filter.
So you double the oil capacity to double the OCI interval? You're not saving the environment, just the time having it done ( maybe some gas) or doing it!
 

USA was almost as bad as mainland China is now back then. :(

My father, in an oil related story, told me people in his neighborhood would just park their cars on the curb over a sewer grate and drain their oil directly into the sewer in the 60s and 70s when he was a kid.

Also this:
clcfr7xw08y31.jpg
Coolant was super common to just let go into the drains

Used oil used to go on rail road ties (big chunks of wood for landscaping or edging) to keep them from rotting
 
Oil sump capacity will have no impact on the environment one way or the other.

So if you need to feel like you're saving the planet, I suppose you'll have to look elsewhere.
 
I've noticed that as car motors shrink, so does the oil capacity.

So why can't you just double oil capacity to double or triple oil change intervals? Engines seem to have such small sumps that the oil is cycling continuously shearing it down faster.

Now stick a 6 quart sump on the 1.6 liter engine, you could get 14k+ OCI's since you got double the oil capacity, and a high mileage oil filter.
Doubling oil capacity and doubling OCIs doesnt really do anything.
If we want to save the environment, we need to phase out oil and fossil fuels completely. Theres no way around it because of the greenhouse gasses that ICEs create and the fact that oil is a non sustainable resource.
 
So you double the oil capacity to double the OCI interval? You're not saving the environment, just the time having it done ( maybe some gas) or doing it!
This is exactly right. Nothing gained in this approach. We can extend oil changes now. We just don't do it.
 
have never noticed there being unlimited space for double sized oil pans … or if it drives the OEM to relocate other components there will be a cost vs benefit challenge

feel like I have seen OEM’s reactions already - my 2010 5.3L held 6 quarts … my 2017/18 both at 8 quarts
my assumption is they switched from port to GDI and 5w30 to 0w20 - hence +2 quarts …
both versions would run out the OLM ‘clock’ around 7500 miles …

dilution could be offset by more capacity
 
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If my oil sump held 12 quarts, it would not reach full temp before I got to work. 5.5 is good enough for me.
 
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